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Republican Climate Change Denial is Blinding Our Ability to Observe the Arctic
Where does denial meet with Arctic sea ice loss? In the form of climate change denying republicans attempting again and again to cut and with-hold funding to NASA and NSIDC instruments that track what is an unprecedented and historic melt now ongoing. For ever since their coming to power in Congress in 2010, republicans have done everything they can to remove funding for the devices that provide a direct observation of the changes coming as a result of a human-forced warming of our world.
You can read about the recent history of republican attempts to blind the satellite eyes of science here in this comprehensive article by The Atlantic. Attempts that have finally played out in the increasing degradation of the National Snow and Ice Data Center’s ability to track sea ice area and extent during this crucial year. For as the critical Arctic sea ice observation sensor called F 17 begins to fail, a sensor that could replace it sits grounded — lacking funding to operate or launch it during a year in which the Arctic is likely to experience historic and wrenching changes. A year that has already experienced both record Arctic heat and record low sea ice coverage throughout both Winter and Spring with more records likely on the way.
https://robertscribbler.com/2016/04/26/republican-climate-change-denial-is-blinding-our-ability-to-observe-the-arctic/
You can read about the recent history of republican attempts to blind the satellite eyes of science here in this comprehensive article by The Atlantic. Attempts that have finally played out in the increasing degradation of the National Snow and Ice Data Center’s ability to track sea ice area and extent during this crucial year. For as the critical Arctic sea ice observation sensor called F 17 begins to fail, a sensor that could replace it sits grounded — lacking funding to operate or launch it during a year in which the Arctic is likely to experience historic and wrenching changes. A year that has already experienced both record Arctic heat and record low sea ice coverage throughout both Winter and Spring with more records likely on the way.
https://robertscribbler.com/2016/04/26/republican-climate-change-denial-is-blinding-our-ability-to-observe-the-arctic/
In general, new satellites have been launched before the old ones have failed, to prevent interruptions in data collection. This means that at the time F19 was launched, there were several operational satellites still in service. This was lucky, because F19 failed unusually quickly — scientists lost communication with the satellite just this past February.
When that happened, the still-operational F17 satellite — which has been in orbit since 2006 — was reassigned as the primary platform for data collection, according to Julienne Stroeve, a senior research scientist with the National Snow and Ice Data Center. But in the past few weeks, adjustments made to the satellite’s solar panels have caused technical difficulties that may be beyond repair.
Luckily, there are still a few other DMSP satellites with the appropriate sensing equipment in orbit that scientists can turn to in the meantime — but these are thought to be reaching the end of their lives as well. And, thanks to a lack of funding, the government has no immediate plans to launch another.
The last satellite built for the DMSP program — F20 — was originally intended to be launched within the next few years. But last year, the Air Force’s funding request for the program was denied by Congress and the launch plans shelved. Consequently, the already-built satellite has remained on the ground in storage, and Tina Greer, a public affairs officer with the Air Force Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center, confirmed that there is no DMSP satellite currently on the launch manifest.
When that happened, the still-operational F17 satellite — which has been in orbit since 2006 — was reassigned as the primary platform for data collection, according to Julienne Stroeve, a senior research scientist with the National Snow and Ice Data Center. But in the past few weeks, adjustments made to the satellite’s solar panels have caused technical difficulties that may be beyond repair.
Luckily, there are still a few other DMSP satellites with the appropriate sensing equipment in orbit that scientists can turn to in the meantime — but these are thought to be reaching the end of their lives as well. And, thanks to a lack of funding, the government has no immediate plans to launch another.
The last satellite built for the DMSP program — F20 — was originally intended to be launched within the next few years. But last year, the Air Force’s funding request for the program was denied by Congress and the launch plans shelved. Consequently, the already-built satellite has remained on the ground in storage, and Tina Greer, a public affairs officer with the Air Force Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center, confirmed that there is no DMSP satellite currently on the launch manifest.
